Sunday saw the last trail at Wythop for the season on a lovely afternoon which got out quite warm.
There was a good slip of senior hounds, seventeen in total and with all the top hounds having run the day before there was plenty of scope for other hounds to come through and shine.
Foxparke Beep Beep and Lady Million were at the top of the bookies board after the last look round a few weeks ago. Foxparke Beep Beep had won with Lady Million in second place.
As reports came in from the first road crossing it was Lady Million who was in front followed by Foxparke Fair Lady with Foxparke Beep Beep in third place.
However, when they came over the top of the fell before dropping down it was Foxparke Beep Beep who was in the lead. Although making a slight mistake and veering off the trail slightly, she corrected herself and dropped in nicely with Croft Lass and Foxparke Fair Lady close on her heels.
As they came into the last field she had pulled away from her pursuers and won easily, her fourth success of the season. Croft Lass finished in second place for Carol and Stanley Jackson while the Foxparke team were third thanks to a good run by Foxparke Fair Lady.
Lady Million finished in fourth place, which was a good run for her having been off for a couple of weeks so will have been short of a little running. Busy Again finished well in fifth place for Alan Blacklock and daughter Carol with Strawberry Mick for Graham Reid finishing in sixth.
Next to slip were the open pups with thirteen competing and Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough were looking to repeat the win they had last time round with Snowfell.
As they showed on the top there were plenty of dogs but Blue Striker for Erin and Brian Rowlandson was showing in front and leading the hounds down the fell.
Once back in sight the lead had changed and they came through the last gate it was Snowfell who was in front from Blue Strike. But as they approached the line it was Minnie Million who showed speed of foot to come from third place and snatch the win for Joy and Brian Lister.
It was very close for fourth place with the judge referring to the camera and she was unable to split the two hounds and gave a dead heat between James and Ava McClelland’s Baroness Ava and the Burrows’ and Sarah Jackson’s Thorn Soul. Foxparke Elliot’s Lad claimed sixth ticket.
The win for Minnie Million is her ninth of the season and will be one to watch over the last few weeks of the season.
Next were the open maidens with a fantastic slip of 32 hounds and with most in this grade it was a wide open race with Reebok for Brian Graham the 7/2 favourite, Samcro was sitting at 5/2 and Foxparke Mysteriously was at 3/1.
However, when they showed on the top it was Persian Gold for Mike Watson who was leading with Foxparke Mysteriously in second place. Once down the fell and through the last gate it was still Persian Gold who was in the lead and went on to win, followed by Inspect who came from third place to take second for the Lindsay sisters Anna and Kerry.
Eden Romina finished third for David Clifford notching up more points and what a consistent little hound she had been over the season.
Foxparke Mysteriously finished in fourth with Tania Satterthwaite’s Samcro in fifth and the Foxparke team bagging another ticket with Foxparke Dealer in sixth place. Punters could have got 6/1 for Persian Gold in the bookies ring.
The last race of the afternoon was the open restricted race with a slip of 14 runners.
As they showed on the top it was another good race with a few dogs together. Once in the finishing field it was Howgill Lil who just got up to take the win for Ian Bell from Barncroft Express in second place for Alan O’Fee.
Bretton was a close third for Julie Birkenshaw and Brian Graham with Foxparke Side Kick and Foxparke Sassy Girl taking fourth and fifth. The last ticket of the day went to Spring Remedy for Jenny Horn.
All proceeds from the two trails will go towards local charities and organiser Ricky Deacon thanked all those who had sponsored the trails.
He also thanked the trailers for taking time out to run the trails and all those who had supported the trails over the two meetings.
Trailing switches to Dearham on Tuesday where it should prove advantageous for the local kennel of Joe Abram and Nicola McMaster running on home ground.
With another three trails after this one at Dearham it should start to shake things up at the top of both Championships.
The first race starts at 4.30pm, with the trail field situated heading out of Dearham towards Gilcrux.
September 22 – Wythop
- Hounds – 1. Foxparke Beep Beep; 2. Croft Lass; 3. Foxparke Fair Lady; 4. Lady Million; 5. Busy Again; 6. Strawberry Mick. 17 ran, time 28.18.
- Pups – 1. Minnie Million; 2. Snowfell; 3. Blue Striker; 4. Thorn Soul and Baroness Ava (Dead Heat); 6. Foxparke Elliot’s Lad. 13 ran, time 20.03.
- Open Maidens – 1. Persian Gold; 2. Inspect; 3. Eden Romina; 4. Foxparke Mysteriously; 5. Samcro; 6. Foxparke Dealer. 32 ran, time 18.41.
- Open Restricted – 1. Howgill Lil; 2. Barncroft Express; 3. Bretton; 4. Foxparke Side Kick; 5. Foxparke Sassy Girl; 6. Spring Remedy. 14 ran, time 19.05.
